Run a number of offensive sets effectively, efficiently and productively.

And while there were undoubtedly a number of other prominent items on Trinity's lengthy to-do list Saturday night, there was one more thing sitting atop that immediate agenda that absolutely had to get done.

The Shamrocks had to win.

Somehow.

Well, that wasn't much of a problem either as Larry Kostelac Jr.'s driven Shamrocks (17-6) opened the District 3-AA playoffs by rolling past visiting Brandywine Heights 65-26 behind a strong collective effort.

Trumpy finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots as Kostelac's bunch popped the Berks Countians with effective play at both ends of the floor from the opening tip to well into the final quarter.

Brad Wesner added 10 points, while 6-5 junior Brandon Kuntz dished out seven assists to go with his six points and two blocks. Even more offensive production came from Mike Gagliardi and Dylan DeFrank.

"When you defend like we defended tonight, when you share the ball like we shared the ball tonight, when you rebound the ball and win 50-50 balls like we did tonight, you win and you advance," Kostelac added.

"And that's what it's about at this point in time is advancing."

"When we get in a groove, I don't know who can stop us," Trumpy said.

"When everyone's playing together and we're running our offenses, when everyone's looking for each other and everyone's hitting their shots and we're playing real well ... we seemed to do that pretty well tonight."

It was just one of those nights where a lot of things went well for a Trinity outfit that will move into Wednesday night's semifinals at Giant Center and take on Columbia in the back end (8:30) of a four-bagger.

Columbia ousted York Catholic earlier on Saturday.

Trinity's latest victory also moved Kostelac closer to another coaching milestone, as the 29-year veteran claimed career win No. 597.

Not only was Trinity effective at the offensive end, the Shamrocks' high-pitched man defense forced 21 turnovers.

Conversely, the Shamrocks committed just seven.

"I thought our defense was just very, very solid," Kostelac said. "We knew what they wanted to do. I thought we bothered their ballhandlers just enough and stayed in front of them just enough to occupy them.

"They were conscious of being guarded tightly and they weren't able to penetrate and kick the way they wanted to."

"[Trumpy] and [Kuntz], those big boys, are tough in there," Tannous said.

Kostelac's bunch also was plugged in from the opening tip, jetting to a 16-3 advantage by the end of the opening quarter. And that sizable cushion grew to 35-14 by the break after Dom Antonelli canned a long, long trey.

For the longest time, only Matt Boyer's trey dented the scoreboard.

And Boyer wound up leading Ben Tannous' Bullets (8-15), who reached Saturday night's scrap by winning their first postseason game in nine years in Wednesday night's opening round, with eight points.

Two more -- one on a Jay Agnew trey and the other on the last of Trumpy's three flushes -- arrived after the break.

"I was very impressed by his poise in the post," Tannous said. "Looking to the opposite block first, then out. And that's where I think a lot of his assists came from. That he was patient with the ball and strong with the ball."

"He played great," Trumpy said. "Came out strong on the offensive end and then he kinda cooled down and started looking for people. I think he's the best at finding people on our team. If you're open, he'll find you.

"He did that really well tonight."

A lot of people did a lot of things really well.

Trinity was so efficient and so balanced -- Kostelac's driven bunch closed the third quarter on a 19-2 burst that upped the hosts' lead to 54-18 -- that nine players found the scorebook. And 13 logged minutes.

In a game that began with all-or-nothing stakes riding.

Win or else.

"I think we all knew we had to come out strong," Trumpy said. "No matter if we won by 40 or if we won by two, it was just one of those do-or-die things. We knew if we didn't play well, we weren't gonna win."

And for a Shamrocks outfit sporting plenty of postseason experience -- Antonelli even brought some with him from Red Land -- Saturday's victory came quite easily. Other postseason successes may follow.

"That helps a lot," Trumpy added. "Me personally, I just don't get nervous and it seems the same way with all my teammates that have played in this thing before. I know we all have that one common goal is getting a district title.

"That's pretty much the drive for all of this."

And it can be.

Especially if Kostelac's group continues to play so effectively.

"They've all been there," Kostelac said. "They all know how to play at this time of year. They know what it's about."

There's even some not-so-distant history to motivate the 'Rocks.

Trinity, which returned to the Class AA ranks after reaching last season's 3-AAA championship game, won three straight 3-AA titles (2008-2010) before moving to a different playground.

And Saturday night, the Shamrocks ran their 3-AA winning streak to 13 games by climbing on the Berks County Bullets at the very start.

"In my estimate, I think they deserve the No. 1 seed," Tannous said. "I think they're a very good team and obviously they showed when they put things together they're very deep. There's no holes.

"Every single position they've got a player," Tannous continued. "The tandem of those two big guys is fantastic for them to have. To have the shooters, like they have on the outside, is fantastic, too."

Especially when Kostelac's talented Shamrocks play a complete game ... or something mighty close to one.

Kostelac's group also ran a number of offensive sets effectively, efficiently and productively. Plus, the Shamrocks were remarkably stingy defensively.